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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · plane · staff · cabinet · race · racket · craft · bore

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. craft — boats
  3. race — the arms race
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. dip — to sink
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. staff — employees
  18. race — a contest
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. race — humankind
  21. bore — to drill
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. staff — a stick

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