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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: craft · race · cap · rule · rash · stem · track · rest

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. craft — boats
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rule — a law
  8. track — a path
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rest — a break
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rash — a series
  13. rule — government
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a song
  17. race — humankind
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rest — what's left
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cap — a lid
  22. race — a contest
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cap — a hat

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