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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: board · mark · plane · stem · key · nail · race · tear

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. race — humankind
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stem — to come from
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — to rip
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. mark — a trace
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. race — the arms race
  23. key — the most important part
  24. race — a contest

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