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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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. safe — out of danger
  4. fall — the season
  5. tube — the underground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spell — magic
  8. lean — to bend
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lean — thin
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pass — a permit
  23. snap — to click
  24. tube — a container

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