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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. can — to be able to
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. spell — magic
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fall — to drop
  10. can — a tin
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. snap — to click
  14. fine — all right
  15. can — a tin
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fall — the season
  24. spell — letters

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