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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: cabinet · race · mine · ruler · chip · lash · plane · object

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mine — for digging
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. race — humankind
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — a tool
  11. object — an aim
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. race — the arms race
  15. object — a thing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. object — to protest
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. race — a contest

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