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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mug — a face
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fall — to drop
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. fall — the season
  9. mug — a cup
  10. face — to confront
  11. mine — for digging
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. charge — a price
  14. hand — help
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hand — in cards
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fine — all right
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mug — to rob

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