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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. race — the arms race
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. race — humankind
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. kick — in football
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. race — a contest
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — to bear
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. clip — a video
  24. clip — for paper

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