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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fall — the season
  7. current — of water
  8. suit — to fit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. suit — clothes
  11. current — electric
  12. last — finally
  13. last — to go on
  14. prune — to trim
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fall — to drop
  17. last — final
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rash — a series
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. current — happening now
  24. patient — a sick person

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