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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 116 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: race · pound · suit · dip · wave · tear · plane · craft

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. craft — a skill
  7. tear — from crying
  8. dip — to sink
  9. tear — to rip
  10. craft — boats
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. suit — clothes
  17. race — a contest
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. plane — a tool
  21. race — humankind
  22. tear — from crying
  23. race — the arms race
  24. suit — in cards

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