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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. track — a path
  3. can — a tin
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. court — of a king
  7. face — to confront
  8. stand — to bear
  9. court — of law
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. track — to keep track
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. court — for sport
  17. face — part of the head
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — size or range
  21. can — to be able to
  22. foot — a measure
  23. scale — in music
  24. track — a song

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