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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. track — to keep track
  7. object — an aim
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for dancing
  16. hand — help
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. club — for golf
  22. object — a thing
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. object — to protest

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