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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. fall — to drop
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. perch — the fish
  11. rest — a break
  12. bank — for money
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — the season
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. race — humankind
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bank — of a river

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