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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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. trunk — of a car
  4. cue — for pool
  5. craft — boats
  6. track — a path
  7. race — the arms race
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. track — a song
  13. cue — a hint
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. race — a contest
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cue — a signal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — to keep track
  21. court — of a king
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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