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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fall — the season
  8. ball — a dance
  9. firm — decided
  10. kick — in football
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wax — to grow
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a great time
  17. can — a tin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lean — thin
  21. firm — steady
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. firm — a company

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