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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. race — humankind
  4. craft — boats
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bound — certain
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bound — obliged
  11. track — a path
  12. pitch — completely
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cap — a lid
  20. charge — in control
  21. bound — tied together
  22. date — the fruit
  23. charge — a price
  24. craft — a skill

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