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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. content — happy
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. roll — a cake
  8. lie — to recline
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. content — the amount
  15. fall — the season
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fine — all right
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. suit — in cards
  23. roll — a list
  24. fall — to drop

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