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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. row — a line
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fine — all right
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. key — the most important part
  16. date — the fruit
  17. ground — the earth
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fall — to drop
  20. key — in music
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. row — to paddle
  24. key — for a lock

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