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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. race — a contest
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bound — obliged
  5. craft — a skill
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. race — the arms race
  8. craft — boats
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. race — humankind
  12. rash — a series
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. press — a publisher
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. press — to push
  17. rash — hasty
  18. press — newspapers
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bound — certain
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. craft — a handicraft

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