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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. court — of law
  4. saw — the tool
  5. race — humankind
  6. court — for sport
  7. race — the arms race
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mark — a trace
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. court — of a king
  14. mark — a grade
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. present — a gift
  20. race — a contest
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rush — a thrill

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