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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fall — the season
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. branch — a division
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — to move gently
  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