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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 120 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. row — a line
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mug — a face
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mug — a cup
  12. season — of the year
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pit — a hole
  15. season — in sport
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — in control
  19. pit — in a race
  20. craft — boats
  21. charge — a price
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fall — the season
  24. craft — a skill

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