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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. race — a contest
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. race — the arms race
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. craft — a skill
  10. race — humankind
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — in sport
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — after costs
  17. charge — a price
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. charge — electricity
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. charge — in control
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. net — for catching
  24. present — the time now

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