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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. race — a contest
  8. charge — in control
  9. race — humankind
  10. charge — electricity
  11. race — the arms race
  12. snap — to click
  13. craft — a skill
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stock — shares
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. charge — a price
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stock — goods
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. deal — an agreement

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