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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: race · rule · wave · fine · craft · lean · coach · row

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. race — humankind
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rule — a law
  14. lean — thin
  15. row — a line
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. race — a contest
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. row — to paddle
  24. coach — a trainer

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