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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. court — of law
  3. tear — from crying
  4. court — of a king
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. court — for sport
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — a trail
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — the season
  17. suit — clothes
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pound — for dogs

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