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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fall — to drop
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. suit — in cards
  7. can — a tin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cap — a lid
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cap — of ice
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fall — to drop
  24. snap — to click

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