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

Word bank: safe · leaves · cold · race · craft · swing

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. swing — music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. swing — to play on
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. race — the arms race
  9. swing — in golf
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — not warm
  14. craft — a skill
  15. race — humankind
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. craft — boats
  18. race — a contest

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