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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. track — a path
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mug — a cup
  9. track — a song
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spell — letters
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fall — the season
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. saw — the tool

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