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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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 skill
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. kid — child
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rash — a series
  19. craft — boats
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chip — for betting
  22. kid — to tease
  23. race — a contest
  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