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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fine — all right
  5. face — to confront
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. scale — in music
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. present — there
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — high quality
  14. present — the time now
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. present — a gift
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fall — to drop
  24. squash — to crush

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