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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ground — crushed
  6. race — the arms race
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rule — a law
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. race — a contest
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rule — government
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bank — for money
  21. ground — a position
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bank — for money
  24. foot — a measure

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