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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wake — a trail
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. kid — to tease
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. present — a gift
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. fall — to drop
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fall — the season
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. prune — to trim
  21. kid — child
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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