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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fall — to drop
  8. capital — money
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. capital — a city
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. ball — a great time
  22. toast — bread
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. toast — the most admired

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