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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: branch · race · rule · cue · craft · toast · wake · mark

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. branch — a division
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. toast — bread
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rule — government
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. race — humankind
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. cue — for pool
  19. race — a contest
  20. cue — a hint
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rule — a law
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rule — to rule out

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