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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. dip — to sink
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. craft — a skill
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. spring — of water
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. band — a ring
  15. craft — boats
  16. race — humankind
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. spring — the season
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. race — a contest
  22. spring — a coil
  23. band — a music group
  24. safe — out of danger

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