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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bear — the animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. chip — for betting
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. craft — boats
  11. race — a contest
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bear — the animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. dip — to sink
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spring — a coil

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