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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — to handle
  4. march — the month
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. net — after costs
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. march — music
  20. fall — the season
  21. net — for catching
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. net — in sport
  24. wave — of the sea

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