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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mark — a trace
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fine — high quality
  8. march — the month
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. land — to come down
  12. cue — for pool
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fine — all right
  15. march — the month
  16. land — a country
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fall — the season
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. march — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. land — ground

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