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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: wake · bowl · pop · stand · craft · race

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wake — a trail
  6. race — humankind
  7. pop — music
  8. race — a contest
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. race — the arms race
  17. craft — boats
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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