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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 124 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. race — humankind
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lie — to recline
  7. row — to paddle
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. race — a contest
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. spell — letters
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. spell — a short time
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. spell — magic
  21. row — a line
  22. race — the arms race
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the sport

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