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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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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: bowl · present · race · bear · net · spring · plane · rush

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. net — for catching
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. plane — a tool
  9. net — after costs
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. race — a contest
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. net — in sport
  19. spring — of water
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. race — humankind

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