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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. tube — a container
  4. last — to go on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bear — the animal
  13. plane — a tool
  14. last — finally
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cell — in biology
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fall — the season
  24. last — final

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