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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spell — a short time
  22. chip — for betting
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. coach — a trainer

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