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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. toast — bread
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bulb — for light
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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