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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a word
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. tear — to rip
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fall — the season
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. object — an aim
  13. root — the cause
  14. object — a thing
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — to protest
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. race — humankind
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — to recline
  24. tear — from crying

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