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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. bank — of a river
  9. board — a committee
  10. can — a tin
  11. court — for sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. board — to get on
  15. can — a tin
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. court — of law
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fall — the season
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. court — of a king
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bulb — for light

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