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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fall — the season
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mark — a grade
  6. row — to paddle
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — to fit
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. lie — to recline
  23. row — a line
  24. mark — to pay attention

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