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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: present · plane · mark · wake · drill · ball · race · mate

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. race — a contest
  4. wake — a trail
  5. drill — army training
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. mark — a trace
  9. plane — a tool
  10. present — the time now
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mate — to breed
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mate — a friend
  18. drill — the tool
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mate — a partner
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. drill — a practice

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