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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. season — in sport
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fall — the season
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. season — of the year
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. snap — to click
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. track — a path
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wind — moving air
  24. track — a song

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