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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. race — humankind
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. race — the arms race
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. craft — a skill
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. craft — boats
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. snap — to click
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bulb — for light
  20. dip — to sink
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. race — a contest

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