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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: craft · coach · object · wave · race · suit · last · field

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. 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. craft — a handicraft
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — a thing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. field — a subject
  6. race — a contest
  7. suit — clothes
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. race — the arms race
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. craft — boats
  17. field — farmland
  18. last — to go on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — an aim
  21. craft — a skill
  22. field — for sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. 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