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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — all right
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fall — to drop
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spell — magic
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fall — the season
  15. last — final
  16. spell — letters
  17. present — a gift
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fall — to drop
  20. present — there
  21. net — after costs
  22. lie — to recline
  23. spell — a short time
  24. fine — a penalty

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