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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fall — the season
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ground — a position
  8. pit — in a race
  9. ground — crushed
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bound — obliged
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bound — certain
  16. pass — a permit
  17. scale — in music
  18. bound — tied together
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. board — a committee
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — to get on
  24. arm — part of the body

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