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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: race · saw · racket · leaves · stick · craft · roll · rash

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. craft — a skill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. roll — a list
  6. race — a contest
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. craft — boats
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. saw — the tool
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — humankind
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. racket — a loud noise

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