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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lean — thin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. fall — the season
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fall — to drop
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a document
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. file — a line of people
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. board — a committee
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. board — to get on
  22. snap — to click
  23. lean — to bend
  24. racket — a loud noise

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