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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fall — to drop
  3. object — a thing
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. present — the time now
  8. prune — to trim
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — an aim
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. object — to protest
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mark — a grade

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