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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 124 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. race — a contest
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. sharp — clever
  11. race — the arms race
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. branch — a division
  14. land — a country
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. object — to protest
  21. race — humankind
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. object — a thing
  24. leaves — to go away

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