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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. current — happening now
  3. race — the arms race
  4. chest — of your body
  5. race — humankind
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. firm — a company
  8. rash — a series
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. race — a contest
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. firm — decided
  18. craft — a skill
  19. deal — to handle
  20. foot — a measure
  21. craft — boats
  22. firm — steady
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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