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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. object — a thing
  4. race — humankind
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. deal — to handle
  7. object — to protest
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. object — an aim
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. race — a contest
  16. pitch — completely
  17. chip — to eat
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. craft — boats
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fan — to cool the air

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