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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. race — the arms race
  3. board — a committee
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. court — for sport
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. roll — a list
  9. tube — a container
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. foot — a measure
  12. board — to get on
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. race — a contest
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. race — humankind
  21. pound — a weight
  22. craft — boats
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. roll — a cake

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