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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. object — to protest
  3. race — humankind
  4. mark — a trace
  5. object — an aim
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fall — to drop
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. race — a contest
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. race — the arms race
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mark — a grade
  16. cap — a lid
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. object — a thing
  24. leaves — lets stay

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