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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. track — a path
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — ground
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. craft — boats
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. race — a contest
  11. net — for catching
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. net — after costs
  15. craft — a skill
  16. race — humankind
  17. land — a country
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. net — in sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. race — the arms race
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — to lash out

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