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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fall — the season
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — humankind
  8. season — in sport
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rock — music
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fall — to drop
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. race — the arms race
  21. season — of the year
  22. pass — a permit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rock — a stone

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