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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. land — ground
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fall — the season
  10. land — to come down
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. craft — boats
  15. land — a country
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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