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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. race — a contest
  3. spring — of water
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bound — obliged
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rest — a break
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. race — the arms race
  10. craft — boats
  11. rest — what's left
  12. saw — the tool
  13. spring — a coil
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — the season
  16. craft — a skill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bound — certain
  22. race — humankind
  23. calf — a young animal
  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