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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. charge — in control
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. race — humankind
  5. stand — to bear
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fall — to drop
  9. land — to come down
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. land — a country
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fall — the season
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — the arms race
  17. present — there
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. present — a gift
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. land — ground
  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