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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mug — a face
  3. bank — for money
  4. wax — to grow
  5. fall — to drop
  6. race — a contest
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — to get on
  9. degree — from a university
  10. fall — the season
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. board — a committee
  16. bank — of a river
  17. degree — temperature
  18. race — humankind
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. suit — to fit
  23. degree — an amount
  24. race — the arms race

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