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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. foot — a measure
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cap — of ice
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. race — a contest
  9. track — a path
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. sharp — clever
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lie — to recline
  15. fall — the season
  16. race — the arms race
  17. track — a song
  18. fall — to drop
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cap — a hat
  23. race — humankind
  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