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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: board · foot · rest · plane · race · rash · mate · patient

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. foot — a measure
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. race — the arms race
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. board — a committee
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rest — what's left
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. plane — a tool
  14. race — humankind
  15. board — to get on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rash — a series
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. race — a contest
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rest — a break
  23. rash — hasty
  24. patient — a sick person

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