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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. race — the arms race
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. swing — in golf
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — ground
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wake — a trail
  14. land — to come down
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. swing — music
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. race — a contest
  20. craft — a skill
  21. land — a country
  22. craft — boats
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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