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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: craft · race · cabinet · drill · cell · bore · bass · pass

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. craft — boats
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — a permit
  10. race — a contest
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cell — a phone
  13. drill — army training
  14. bore — to drill
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. drill — the tool
  19. race — humankind
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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