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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 116 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: deal · race · chip · rush · ball · stand · club · craft

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. race — humankind
  3. club — for golf
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ball — a great time
  9. craft — a skill
  10. club — a group
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — a contest
  19. chip — for betting
  20. club — for dancing
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. race — the arms race
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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