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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wind — moving air
  15. root — of a word
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fall — the season
  24. bulb — for light

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