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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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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 · band · firm · race · mate · present

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. firm — steady
  3. mate — a partner
  4. band — a ring
  5. race — humankind
  6. craft — a skill
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mate — a friend
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. firm — decided
  13. race — a contest
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mate — to breed
  16. craft — boats
  17. firm — a company
  18. band — a music group

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