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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. key — in music
  4. mate — to breed
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stand — to bear
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mate — a partner
  10. foot — a measure
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fall — the season
  13. date — the fruit
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a city
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. object — an aim
  20. mate — a friend
  21. fall — to drop
  22. object — to protest
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. object — a thing

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