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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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. capital — money
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fall — the season
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — for light
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tear — to rip
  17. mug — to rob
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. capital — a city
  24. cabinet — ministers

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