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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 124 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. shower — rain
  3. last — finally
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mug — a cup
  7. shower — to wash
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. last — to go on
  14. mug — a face
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lean — thin
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. fall — the season

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