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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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pit — a hole
  3. staff — employees
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fall — to drop
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wax — to grow
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. object — a thing
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pit — in a race
  18. race — a contest
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. race — humankind
  21. object — an aim
  22. staff — employees
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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