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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — for light
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. tear — to rip
  5. swing — to play on
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. toast — bread
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fall — the season
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. fall — to drop
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tear — from crying
  20. swing — music
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. tear — from crying
  24. arm — part of the body

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