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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · rash · staff · row · race · mate · racket · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. swing — in golf
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. swing — music
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. staff — employees
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. swing — to play on
  15. staff — a stick
  16. race — humankind
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rash — hasty
  20. staff — employees
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mate — a partner
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com