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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. drill — a practice
  3. race — a contest
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fine — all right
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fine — high quality
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. fall — the season
  20. rock — music
  21. race — humankind
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — the tool
  24. fall — to drop

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