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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. race — the arms race
  3. craft — a skill
  4. spring — the season
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. deal — to handle
  9. race — a contest
  10. craft — boats
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — of water
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. race — humankind
  21. dip — to sink
  22. sharp — clever
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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