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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: plane · lie · wound · saw · race · rash · bulb · mouse

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — the arms race
  14. saw — the tool
  15. race — humankind
  16. plane — a tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. race — a contest
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rash — a series
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rash — hasty

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