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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 116 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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cap — a lid
  4. plane — a tool
  5. scale — in music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cap — of ice
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. cap — a hat
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fall — to drop
  24. scale — for weighing

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