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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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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: cap · present · race · lash · plane · current · pound · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — a lid
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. present — a gift
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. race — humankind
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. current — happening now
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. current — electric
  19. present — there
  20. race — a contest
  21. current — of water
  22. present — the time now
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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