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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 116 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. craft — boats
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. race — a contest
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. craft — a skill
  10. root — the cause
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. race — the arms race
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. root — of a word
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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