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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 120 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: bank · plane · present · race · ball · arm · foot · bore

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bank — for money
  13. ball — a great time
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. race — humankind
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. present — a gift

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