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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fall — the season
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cap — of ice
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lean — thin
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. lean — to bend
  24. safe — out of danger

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