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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bass — low music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bass — the fish
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wound — an injury
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cue — for pool

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