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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: arm · race · mark · lie · fine · plane · can · root

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. can — a tin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. root — the cause
  4. fine — all right
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mark — a trace
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — of a plant
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lie — to recline
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fine — high quality
  21. root — of a word
  22. race — humankind
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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