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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. track — a song
  4. craft — boats
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. race — humankind
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lean — to bend
  11. race — a contest
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chest — a box
  14. current — electric
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. current — of water
  18. lean — thin
  19. craft — a skill
  20. current — happening now
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. chest — of your body

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