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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. face — to point toward
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fall — to drop
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. can — to be able to
  13. craft — a skill
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. can — a tin
  23. fall — the season
  24. pound — to hit hard

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