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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 124 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. key — in music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bass — low music
  6. can — a tin
  7. kick — in football
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mug — a cup
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mug — a face
  17. fall — to drop
  18. key — for a lock
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fall — the season
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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