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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. craft — a skill
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. game — wild animals
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. game — a match
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. craft — boats
  14. race — a contest
  15. board — to get on
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. board — a committee
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. race — humankind
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. race — the arms race

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