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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. craft — boats
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. race — a contest
  18. wax — to grow
  19. craft — a skill
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. charge — electricity
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. spring — of water

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