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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. roll — a list
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fall — to drop
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mate — a friend

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