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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. race — the arms race
  6. track — a path
  7. can — a tin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. track — to keep track
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mark — a trace
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — a tin
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. track — a song
  17. race — a contest
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. race — humankind
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wind — moving air
  23. craft — boats
  24. fall — to drop

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