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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 120 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mate — a partner
  12. land — to come down
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. land — a country
  15. pass — a permit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — ground
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pass — to succeed

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