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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. firm — decided
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. race — the arms race
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rock — a stone
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. race — humankind
  12. firm — steady
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. craft — boats
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rock — music
  19. race — a contest
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. firm — a company
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pitch — completely

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