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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. board — to get on
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. race — humankind
  7. craft — a skill
  8. last — finally
  9. last — to go on
  10. lean — thin
  11. race — the arms race
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — a committee
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. craft — boats
  19. lean — to bend
  20. last — final
  21. track — a song
  22. pitch — completely
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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