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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. race — humankind
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. race — a contest
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. craft — boats
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wax — to grow
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lean — thin
  21. bat — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stand — to bear
  24. race — the arms race

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