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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 120 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — to bend
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fall — to drop
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. ground — crushed
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mate — to breed
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lean — thin
  14. fall — the season
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. suit — clothes
  18. craft — a skill
  19. ground — the earth
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — a position
  22. craft — boats
  23. mate — a partner
  24. dip — to dunk

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