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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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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: ground · arm · race · patient · plane · swing · ball · nail

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. race — the arms race
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. swing — to play on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ground — a position
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ground — crushed
  17. plane — a tool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. swing — music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ball — a dance

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