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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bear — the animal
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lean — thin
  6. face — to point toward
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bore — to tire
  11. face — to confront
  12. mug — to rob
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fall — the season
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. mug — a face
  21. bore — to drill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bear — the animal

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