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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — ground
  4. race — humankind
  5. land — to come down
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bound — obliged
  8. saw — the tool
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — a committee
  11. land — a country
  12. board — to get on
  13. can — a tin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. race — a contest
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bound — certain
  18. craft — a skill
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bound — tied together
  21. saw — the tool
  22. race — the arms race
  23. craft — boats
  24. can — a tin

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