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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wound — an injury
  4. firm — steady
  5. hand — in cards
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. race — a contest
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. craft — boats
  13. fork — in a road
  14. firm — a company
  15. hand — help
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. race — humankind
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. firm — decided

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