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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. land — to come down
  4. firm — steady
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mark — a grade
  10. land — ground
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. firm — a company
  18. land — a country
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rest — a break
  21. firm — decided
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fall — the season
  24. mark — a trace

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