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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. race — the arms race
  3. craft — boats
  4. press — newspapers
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. press — to push
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. land — ground
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. land — a country
  12. press — a publisher
  13. saw — the tool
  14. race — a contest
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. race — humankind
  18. mouse — for a computer

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