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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · sharp · wave · jam · ball · craft · mark · cabinet

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mark — a trace
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. sharp — clever
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. craft — boats
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. race — humankind
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. race — a contest
  23. ball — a great time
  24. jam — in traffic

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