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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ground — the earth
  4. scale — size or range
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fall — to drop
  19. scale — in music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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