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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. court — of a king
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. current — happening now
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mate — to breed
  12. current — of water
  13. court — for sport
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fall — the season
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rock — music
  21. current — electric
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mate — a friend
  24. court — of law

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