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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. vault — a safe
  3. craft — boats
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. net — for catching
  8. can — a tin
  9. march — the month
  10. race — a contest
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. race — humankind
  13. craft — a skill
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. can — a tin
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. can — to be able to

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