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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — a committee
  4. race — humankind
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. board — to get on
  15. key — in music
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. key — the most important part
  21. race — a contest
  22. toast — bread
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. lash — an eyelash

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