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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. row — to paddle
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — to get on
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. land — ground
  11. row — a line
  12. board — a committee
  13. land — a country
  14. mark — a trace
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. craft — a skill
  20. race — the arms race
  21. land — to come down
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mark — a grade
  24. race — a contest

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