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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 120 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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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: wake · object · tube · bore · last · craft · race · suit

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. craft — a skill
  3. race — the arms race
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wake — a trail
  6. object — an aim
  7. tube — a container
  8. bore — to drill
  9. suit — clothes
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. craft — boats
  13. last — finally
  14. tube — the underground
  15. suit — to fit
  16. object — to protest
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. object — a thing
  20. bore — to tire
  21. last — final
  22. suit — in cards
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wake — before a funeral

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