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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. race — a contest
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rash — a series
  13. kick — in football
  14. fall — to drop
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. race — the arms race
  17. firm — decided
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. snap — to click
  21. firm — a company
  22. branch — a division
  23. rash — hasty
  24. race — humankind

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