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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. race — humankind
  3. mark — a trace
  4. roll — a list
  5. object — a thing
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. roll — a cake
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. race — a contest
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. race — the arms race
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. object — an aim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. branch — a division
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wound — an injury
  24. object — to protest

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