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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. fall — the season
  3. race — humankind
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. fall — to drop
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. present — a gift
  10. lean — to bend
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. race — a contest
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lean — thin
  17. present — there
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. present — the time now
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. prune — to trim
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. prune — to trim

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