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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. key — in music
  4. fall — the season
  5. tear — from crying
  6. last — to go on
  7. tear — from crying
  8. last — finally
  9. present — a gift
  10. tear — to rip
  11. suit — clothes
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. key — for a lock
  14. present — the time now
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. key — the most important part
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. present — there
  22. last — final
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. suit — to fit

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