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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fall — the season
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fall — to drop

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