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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stock — goods
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rule — government
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rule — a law
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. spell — magic
  12. plane — a tool
  13. spell — letters
  14. craft — boats
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. spell — a short time
  17. board — a committee
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stock — shares
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — a contest
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. race — humankind

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