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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rash — a series
  11. board — to get on
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rash — hasty
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cue — for pool
  21. board — a committee
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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