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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. deal — to handle
  4. club — for golf
  5. lean — thin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — to rip
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fall — to drop
  12. craft — boats
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fall — the season
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. club — for dancing
  18. season — of the year
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. club — a group
  21. season — in sport
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. leaves — lets stay

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