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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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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: dip · key · foot · chest · plane · race · stem · deal

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. race — humankind
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. deal — to handle
  6. key — in music
  7. foot — a measure
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stem — to come from
  12. chest — a box
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. key — the most important part
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. key — for a lock
  19. chest — of your body
  20. race — the arms race
  21. chest — of your body
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. plane — a tool

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