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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. can — a tin
  7. lie — to recline
  8. race — a contest
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fall — to drop
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. fall — the season
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. race — humankind
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. capital — a city
  24. race — the arms race

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