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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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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: race · ball · ruler · pass · arm · press · stock · craft

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. race — a contest
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. race — the arms race
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. craft — boats
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. race — humankind
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  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