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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. race — the arms race
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fall — the season
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. race — a contest
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — a weight
  16. scale — in music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — humankind
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fan — to cool the air

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