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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. date — the fruit
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — to fit
  9. current — electric
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. band — a music group
  20. lie — to recline
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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