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

Word bank: wake · present · arm · stand · fall · race · mark · spell

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. present — the time now
  6. wake — a trail
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. present — there
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spell — letters
  12. race — a contest
  13. fall — to drop
  14. present — a gift
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stand — to bear
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mark — to pay attention

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