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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. race — humankind
  8. tear — from crying
  9. fine — high quality
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. tear — from crying
  12. foot — a measure
  13. craft — boats
  14. hand — in cards
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hand — help
  19. tear — to rip
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. race — the arms race
  22. fine — all right
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. staff — employees

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