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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pound — a weight
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. race — humankind
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. charge — in control

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