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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — in cards
  6. degree — an amount
  7. toast — bread
  8. suit — to fit
  9. season — of the year
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. degree — temperature
  14. fall — the season
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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