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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fall — to drop
  5. firm — decided
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. fall — the season
  8. pound — a weight
  9. file — a tool
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. swing — to play on
  13. file — a line of people
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. firm — a company
  16. suit — to fit
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. swing — music
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. file — a document
  22. firm — steady
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pound — for dogs

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