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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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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. race — the arms race
  3. saw — the tool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. race — a contest
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. race — humankind
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bore — to drill
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. wake — a trail
  17. craft — boats
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. object — an aim
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wake — before a funeral

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