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

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. march — the month
  3. can — a tin
  4. pass — a permit
  5. file — a tool
  6. can — to be able to
  7. suit — clothes
  8. march — the month
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fall — the season
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. can — a tin
  14. march — music
  15. file — a document
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. file — a line of people

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