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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. fall — to drop
  6. track — a song
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fall — the season
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wake — a trail
  13. root — the cause
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a dance
  17. root — of a plant
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fine — all right
  20. fall — to drop
  21. root — of a word
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cabinet — ministers

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