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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fall — the season
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fine — high quality
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lean — to bend
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. game — a match
  14. fine — all right
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bore — to drill
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — to drop
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lean — thin

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