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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. staff — employees
  3. craft — boats
  4. fall — to drop
  5. race — humankind
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cap — a lid
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. race — a contest
  11. cap — a hat
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. suit — to fit
  14. race — the arms race
  15. craft — a skill
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. staff — employees
  18. fall — the season
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. staff — a stick
  21. suit — clothes
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cap — of ice
  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