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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 124 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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. fall — to drop
  3. lean — thin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fall — to drop
  6. race — humankind
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fall — the season
  10. roll — a cake
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. suit — in cards
  15. race — a contest
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. race — the arms race
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — to fit
  21. spell — letters
  22. pound — a weight
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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