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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bound — certain
  5. present — the time now
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitch — completely
  9. present — there
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a trace
  12. staff — a stick
  13. present — a gift
  14. staff — employees
  15. bound — obliged
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rest — a break
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rest — what's left

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