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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mate — a friend
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. face — to point toward
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. face — part of the head
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. face — to confront
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rock — music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mate — to breed
  21. cue — for pool
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cue — a hint
  24. tear — to rip

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