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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. clip — a video
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. prune — to trim
  13. clip — for paper
  14. prune — to trim
  15. clip — to cut
  16. fall — the season
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fall — to drop

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