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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fall — the season
  4. race — humankind
  5. present — a gift
  6. ball — a great time
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. race — the arms race
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. race — a contest
  18. present — the time now
  19. fall — to drop
  20. drill — army training
  21. present — there
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — the tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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