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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: craft · deal · charge · race · cap · ball · pound · tube

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. ball — a great time
  7. deal — to handle
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pound — a weight
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. charge — in control
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cap — a hat
  17. charge — a price
  18. cap — a lid
  19. race — the arms race
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. tube — a container
  23. cap — of ice
  24. race — humankind

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