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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. club — for golf
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ball — a great time
  6. firm — steady
  7. race — humankind
  8. ball — a dance
  9. club — a group
  10. board — to get on
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. craft — boats
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. club — for dancing
  16. prune — to trim
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. firm — decided
  19. board — a committee
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. craft — a skill
  22. race — the arms race
  23. firm — a company
  24. race — a contest

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