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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fall — the season
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rush — hurry
  7. craft — boats
  8. pop — to visit
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pop — music
  13. season — of the year
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fall — to drop
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. season — in sport
  21. pop — soda
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — a match

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