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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 120 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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. race — a contest
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cap — a hat
  7. staff — employees
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. staff — a stick
  17. clip — a video
  18. clip — for paper
  19. staff — employees
  20. cap — of ice
  21. clip — to cut
  22. race — humankind
  23. craft — boats
  24. rest — what's left

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