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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. race — humankind
  3. sharp — clever
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bound — certain
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bound — obliged
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. firm — a company
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rest — what's left
  16. race — a contest
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bound — tied together
  21. firm — decided
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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