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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fine — high quality
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fall — the season
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bound — obliged
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bound — certain
  22. fine — all right
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bound — tied together

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