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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 120 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: race · craft · wave · key · perch · swing

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. craft — a skill
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — in music
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. swing — in golf
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. key — for a lock
  13. race — humankind
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — boats
  17. key — the most important part
  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