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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. land — ground
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. land — a country
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bulb — for light
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rule — a law
  17. land — to come down
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rule — government
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — for tennis

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