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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: sharp · lean · craft · drill · game · chair · dip · race

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. drill — the tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. drill — army training
  7. dip — to sink
  8. race — a contest
  9. drill — a practice
  10. craft — a skill
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. sharp — clever
  13. race — humankind
  14. game — a match
  15. lean — thin
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. game — wild animals
  22. chair — a leader
  23. race — the arms race
  24. craft — a handicraft

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