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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cap — a hat
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. march — music
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stand — to bear
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. cap — of ice
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fall — the season
  24. prune — to trim

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