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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. file — a tool
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stock — goods
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. file — a document
  13. mate — a friend
  14. craft — boats
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. race — a contest
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stock — shares

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