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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 116 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: face · racket · race · lie · bore · plane · tube · season

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. race — humankind
  3. face — part of the head
  4. race — a contest
  5. tube — a container
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. face — to confront
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. season — of the year
  19. face — to point toward
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. race — the arms race
  23. season — in sport
  24. bore — gave birth

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