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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wind — moving air
  5. face — to confront
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fall — the season
  12. foot — a measure
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. face — to point toward
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — 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