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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. present — the time now
  4. drill — army training
  5. face — to point toward
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — the tool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mark — a grade
  11. face — to confront
  12. fall — the season
  13. present — a gift
  14. drill — a practice
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. face — part of the head
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fall — to drop
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — boats
  24. present — there

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