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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: hide · race · mate · craft · leaves · drill · fall · deal

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. race — a contest
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. race — humankind
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fall — the season
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fall — to drop
  12. drill — the tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mate — a partner
  19. craft — boats
  20. drill — a practice
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. deal — an agreement

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