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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. present — the time now
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chest — a box
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. present — there
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bulb — for light
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fall — the season
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rest — a break
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fall — to drop
  22. present — a gift
  23. rest — what's left
  24. dip — a sauce

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