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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 · bear · ground · roll · suit · plane · shower · fork

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fork — in a road
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. roll — a list
  8. bear — the animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. race — a contest
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bear — the animal
  15. shower — rain
  16. ground — crushed
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — to wash
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — the earth
  21. suit — in cards
  22. plane — a tool
  23. race — humankind
  24. fork — a garden tool

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