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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: race · bass · tube · nail · ruler · pitch · craft · rest

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bass — the fish
  6. tube — a container
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bass — low music
  9. craft — boats
  10. race — humankind
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. race — the arms race
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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