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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: race · swing · plane · object · cap · craft

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. craft — a skill
  4. race — the arms race
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — boats
  7. swing — to play on
  8. object — a thing
  9. swing — in golf
  10. cap — a hat
  11. race — a contest
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. object — an aim
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. race — humankind
  18. object — to protest

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