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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · race · board · lean · tear · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. race — a contest
  3. board — a committee
  4. tear — from crying
  5. board — to get on
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. race — humankind
  12. craft — a skill
  13. race — the arms race
  14. tear — from crying
  15. craft — boats
  16. tear — to rip
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. board — a flat piece

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