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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fall — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pass — a permit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — certain
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. roll — a list
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. suit — to fit
  24. racket — a loud noise

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