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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: race · board · fall · bear · cabinet · jam · bowl · root

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. race — a contest
  3. root — the cause
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. root — of a word
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fall — the season
  10. race — humankind
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. board — to get on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bear — the animal

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