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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — a song
  7. saw — the tool
  8. race — a contest
  9. track — a path
  10. fall — the season
  11. track — to keep track
  12. root — of a plant
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. root — of a word
  15. race — humankind
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fall — to drop
  19. toast — bread
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — the cause
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rush — a thrill
  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