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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. race — humankind
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. craft — boats
  12. prune — to trim
  13. race — a contest
  14. march — the month
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. march — music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pound — a weight
  20. march — the month
  21. race — the arms race
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. prune — the fruit

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