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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fall — to drop
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. season — in sport
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. suit — in cards
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. season — of the year

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