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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. suit — in cards
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. firm — decided
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. firm — steady
  9. craft — boats
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bass — the fish
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bass — low music
  18. race — the arms race
  19. firm — a company
  20. suit — clothes
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. suit — to fit
  24. saw — the tool

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