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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 120 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: land · suit · mug · scale · rock · race · board · craft

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mug — a face
  6. rock — music
  7. scale — in music
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. land — ground
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. land — a country
  16. suit — in cards
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. race — a contest
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mug — a cup
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rock — a stone
  24. land — to come down

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