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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 116 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. track — a path
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. object — a thing
  7. fall — the season
  8. object — to protest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. staff — employees
  15. chip — for betting
  16. race — humankind
  17. wax — to grow
  18. staff — employees
  19. chip — to eat
  20. track — a song
  21. race — a contest
  22. object — an aim
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. staff — a stick

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