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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. capital — a city
  3. swing — music
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. face — to confront
  6. swing — to play on
  7. capital — money
  8. race — the arms race
  9. charge — in control
  10. race — humankind
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — a skill
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rest — a break
  15. charge — electricity
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — boats
  20. face — part of the head
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. face — to point toward
  23. race — a contest
  24. racket — for tennis

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