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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. saw — the tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. saw — the tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fine — all right
  9. staff — employees
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. staff — a stick
  12. ground — a position
  13. staff — employees
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fine — high quality

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