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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: hand · race · wave · pass · object · chip · temple · craft

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. object — a thing
  3. hand — help
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chip — for betting
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. hand — in cards
  12. object — to protest
  13. race — a contest
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. craft — a skill
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. race — humankind
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. craft — boats
  22. chip — to eat
  23. object — an aim
  24. pass — a permit

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