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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. race — the arms race
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. race — a contest
  9. bulb — for light
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — a skill
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. chair — a leader
  21. race — humankind
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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