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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. craft — a skill
  3. perch — the fish
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wax — to grow
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. craft — boats
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. race — a contest
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bulb — for light
  23. race — humankind
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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