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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. race — a contest
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bound — tied together
  8. race — humankind
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fall — the season
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. branch — a division
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bound — obliged
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. race — the arms race
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bound — certain

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