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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. charge — a price
  4. fall — the season
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — to keep track
  7. root — the cause
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. track — a song
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wake — a trail
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. suit — in cards
  17. charge — in control
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. track — a path
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pass — a permit

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