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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. can — to be able to
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. race — a contest
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bass — the fish
  16. can — a tin
  17. race — the arms race
  18. shower — rain
  19. fall — to drop
  20. race — humankind
  21. bass — low music
  22. fall — the season
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — to wash

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