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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: kid · fork · race · plane · root · arm · cabinet · current

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. root — the cause
  10. race — a contest
  11. current — happening now
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kid — child
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. kid — to tease
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. root — of a word
  24. arm — part of the body

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