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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. swing — in golf
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rash — a series
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. swing — to play on
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — a trace
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mark — a grade
  23. swing — music
  24. rash — on the skin

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