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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 120 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: cabinet · plane · foot · board · fork · last · snap · race

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. board — to get on
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. foot — a measure
  6. last — final
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. last — to go on
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. race — the arms race
  14. fork — in a road
  15. race — a contest
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. board — a committee
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. plane — a tool
  22. race — humankind
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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