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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 · pass · present · spell · object · racket · branch · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — humankind
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. spell — letters
  6. pass — a permit
  7. object — to protest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. object — a thing
  15. present — the time now
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. object — an aim
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. craft — boats
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. craft — a skill

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