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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. firm — a company
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fall — the season
  6. firm — decided
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — steady
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bass — low music
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fine — all right

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