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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 116 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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. branch — a division
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bound — certain
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fall — the season
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bound — tied together

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