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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · race · fine · plane · mate · staff · mark · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mark — a trace
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fine — all right
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mate — a friend
  8. can — a tin
  9. mate — a partner
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. staff — employees
  12. mark — a grade
  13. fine — high quality
  14. can — a tin
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. race — a contest
  17. can — to be able to
  18. race — the arms race
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mate — to breed
  24. race — humankind

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