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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 · present · jam · mark · race · board · temple · press

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. present — there
  4. press — to push
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a skill
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mark — a grade
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. craft — boats
  17. press — a publisher
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. press — newspapers
  20. board — to get on
  21. mark — a trace
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. race — the arms race

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