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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mate — a partner
  8. prune — to trim
  9. last — to go on
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. craft — boats
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — final
  20. last — finally
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mate — a friend
  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