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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bear — the animal
  3. club — for golf
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fall — to drop
  9. club — a group
  10. race — a contest
  11. bear — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. press — newspapers
  15. dip — to sink
  16. club — for dancing
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. race — humankind
  20. press — to push
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. press — a publisher

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