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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. race — the arms race
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. craft — a skill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. race — a contest
  7. present — there
  8. race — humankind
  9. rush — hurry
  10. present — the time now
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. deal — to handle
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stock — goods
  17. craft — boats
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stock — shares
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. deal — an agreement

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