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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. toast — bread
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fall — to drop
  18. branch — a division
  19. pound — a weight
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fall — to drop
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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