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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. firm — decided
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. court — of law
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — boats
  14. court — for sport
  15. chip — to eat
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. court — of a king
  22. race — a contest
  23. bore — to tire
  24. craft — a handicraft

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