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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ball — a great time
  8. race — the arms race
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mug — to rob
  11. race — a contest
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. stand — to bear
  16. race — humankind
  17. ground — a position
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mug — a face
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fall — the season
  24. bark — of a tree

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