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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. race — humankind
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bass — the fish
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. craft — boats
  18. scale — in music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bass — low music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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