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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. tear — from crying
  4. spell — a short time
  5. race — a contest
  6. roll — a cake
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bear — the animal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. tear — from crying
  13. spell — magic
  14. firm — decided
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. roll — a list
  17. staff — employees
  18. firm — a company
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — letters
  21. race — the arms race
  22. tear — to rip
  23. craft — boats
  24. firm — steady

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