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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. fall — to drop
  4. scale — in music
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. staff — employees
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. track — a song
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. staff — employees
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. staff — a stick
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fall — the season
  20. toast — bread
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stem — to come from
  24. scale — size or range

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