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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. fall — the season
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. land — a country
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. march — the month
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. land — ground
  11. march — the month
  12. board — to get on
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. board — a committee
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. march — music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. deal — to handle
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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