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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: rash · swing · hand · net · board · race · stand · plane

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. race — humankind
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. race — the arms race
  8. hand — help
  9. net — after costs
  10. board — a committee
  11. swing — to play on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. swing — music
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — in golf

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