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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. hand — help
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. charge — in control
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. craft — a skill
  11. saw — the tool
  12. roll — a list
  13. charge — a price
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. race — humankind
  16. stock — goods
  17. fall — the season
  18. race — a contest
  19. charge — electricity
  20. stock — shares
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. roll — a cake
  24. craft — boats

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