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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bound — tied together
  6. race — a contest
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — a thing
  9. bound — obliged
  10. chip — to eat
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. race — humankind
  16. bound — certain
  17. object — to protest
  18. fall — the season
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bowl — a football final

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