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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. staff — employees
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — a grade
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rock — music
  15. fall — to drop
  16. season — in sport
  17. tear — from crying
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fall — the season
  20. staff — a stick
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. season — of the year

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