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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mark — a grade
  5. race — humankind
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. race — a contest
  13. fall — the season
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. scale — in music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. scale — size or range
  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