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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. race — a contest
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. scale — in music
  11. race — humankind
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. craft — a skill
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. track — to keep track
  17. scale — size or range
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. track — a song
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. craft — boats
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. track — a path

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