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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lean — thin
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fall — the season
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. suit — in cards
  22. date — the fruit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — in control

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