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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. object — to protest
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. plane — a tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. snap — to click
  7. present — the time now
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. object — an aim
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rest — a break
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fall — the season
  18. rest — what's left
  19. present — a gift
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fall — to drop
  22. present — there
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — in geometry

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