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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fall — to drop
  10. deal — to handle
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bass — low music
  14. press — to push
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. scale — size or range
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wind — moving air
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. scale — in music
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fall — the season

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