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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. race — a contest
  3. date — the fruit
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fall — the season
  6. suit — to fit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rock — a stone
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. race — the arms race
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. race — humankind
  21. toast — bread
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bark — to shout
  24. toast — the most admired

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