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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — army training
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. drill — the tool
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ball — a great time
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fall — to drop
  20. sharp — clever
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. fall — the season
  24. ball — a dance

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