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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: drill · bay · race · craft · jam · swing · track · spell

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. craft — boats
  6. swing — in golf
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. track — a song
  9. drill — army training
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. track — a path
  13. spell — letters
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. spell — a short time
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. race — a contest
  18. drill — a practice
  19. spell — magic
  20. swing — music
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. craft — a skill
  24. drill — the tool

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