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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: plane · fall · sharp · fine · race · craft · dip · current

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fall — the season
  4. current — happening now
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. sharp — clever
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fine — all right
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — electric
  14. plane — a tool
  15. current — of water
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. race — a contest
  22. craft — boats
  23. race — humankind
  24. fine — high quality

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