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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fall — to drop
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spell — magic
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stem — to come from
  11. last — to go on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. last — final
  15. race — a contest
  16. board — a committee
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. last — finally
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. board — to get on
  22. fall — to drop
  23. spell — letters
  24. fall — the season

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