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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. court — of law
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. present — a gift
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. court — of a king
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bound — certain
  13. present — there
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bound — tied together
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. court — for sport
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bound — obliged
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fall — to drop
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. hide — to keep secret

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