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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. last — finally
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. kick — in football
  9. fall — to drop
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — final
  14. chest — of your body
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. craft — a skill
  19. chest — a box
  20. craft — boats
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. last — to go on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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