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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: wax · press · present · pitch · craft · firm · deal · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pitch — completely
  3. race — the arms race
  4. craft — a skill
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. craft — boats
  10. firm — steady
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. present — there
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. race — a contest
  17. firm — a company
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wax — to grow
  20. press — to push
  21. firm — decided
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. deal — to handle
  24. present — the time now

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