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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rest — what's left
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bulb — for light
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fall — the season
  10. rest — a break
  11. track — a song
  12. cap — a hat
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. fall — to drop
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — a division
  19. cap — of ice
  20. track — a path
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cap — a lid

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