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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 · swing · pass · race · deal · craft

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. race — the arms race
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. craft — a skill
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. race — a contest
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. race — humankind
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. deal — to handle
  16. craft — boats
  17. pass — a permit
  18. craft — a handicraft

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