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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. land — ground
  4. fall — the season
  5. can — a tin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lean — thin
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lean — to bend
  10. saw — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. bound — certain
  13. land — a country
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bound — obliged
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fine — all right
  20. can — to be able to
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. land — to come down

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