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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fall — the season
  3. present — the time now
  4. fall — to drop
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. present — there
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fine — high quality
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. track — a song
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. track — a path
  22. key — the most important part
  23. present — a gift
  24. key — in music

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