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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: wave · race · row · plane · cabinet · staff · sharp · season

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. staff — a stick
  3. row — to paddle
  4. staff — employees
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — a tool
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — a line
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. staff — employees
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. race — humankind
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. season — of the year
  20. sharp — clever
  21. season — in sport
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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