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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · bowl · race · row · fall · cabinet

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. row — to paddle
  4. object — to protest
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. race — a contest
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. race — the arms race
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. object — a thing
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. row — a line
  18. race — humankind

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