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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fall — to drop
  4. object — an aim
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fall — the season
  9. stand — to bear
  10. court — of law
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. court — of a king
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wax — to grow
  18. object — a thing
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. court — for sport
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. object — to protest
  24. fork — to eat with

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