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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. staff — employees
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hand — help
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. tube — in a tire

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