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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. game — a match
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fall — the season
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. dip — to sink
  18. board — a committee
  19. roll — a list
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. board — to get on
  24. roll — a cake

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