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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wake — a trail
  3. can — to be able to
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. can — a tin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to bend
  8. firm — steady
  9. cold — not warm
  10. lean — thin
  11. capital — money
  12. can — a tin
  13. fall — to drop
  14. capital — a city
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fall — to drop

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