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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. perch — the fish
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fall — to drop
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — a city
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. capital — money
  15. fall — the season
  16. bulb — for light
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bulb — for light

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