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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: race · swing · mark · face · plane · nail · band · bulb

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. face — to confront
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. band — a ring
  7. race — a contest
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. band — a music group
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bulb — for light
  21. race — humankind
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mark — a grade
  24. race — the arms race

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