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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 116 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fall — the season
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fine — high quality
  8. craft — boats
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rash — a series
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fine — all right
  18. rash — hasty

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