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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 · board · face · bay · sharp · race · spell · bowl

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. race — a contest
  8. board — a committee
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. spell — magic
  13. face — to point toward
  14. craft — a skill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. board — to get on
  18. sharp — clever
  19. craft — boats
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. race — humankind

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