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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pound — a weight
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fall — the season
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — shares
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stock — goods
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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