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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fall — to drop
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — a list
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lie — to recline
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. roll — a cake
  13. fine — all right
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — in a race
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — a part of something

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