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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: deal · stand · arm · race · present · craft · charge · lean

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lean — to bend
  5. present — the time now
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — electricity
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. craft — a skill
  12. charge — in control
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. lean — thin
  15. race — humankind
  16. present — there
  17. craft — boats
  18. deal — to handle
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — a contest
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. race — the arms race
  24. deal — an agreement

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