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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stem — to come from
  6. hand — help
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — to handle
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fall — the season
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bound — tied together
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — in cards

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