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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. race — the arms race
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. race — humankind
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fall — the season
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — to sink
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fall — to drop
  22. race — a contest
  23. arm — part of the body
  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