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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. race — humankind
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. craft — boats
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wake — a trail
  12. race — a contest
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wound — an injury
  23. race — the arms race
  24. key — in music

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