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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. firm — a company
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. net — for catching
  7. firm — steady
  8. fine — high quality
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — decided
  11. fine — all right
  12. net — after costs
  13. charge — a price
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. net — in sport
  16. charge — electricity
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fall — the season
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. track — a song
  21. charge — in control
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fan — to cool the air

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