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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fall — to drop
  8. craft — a skill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. scale — in music
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stem — to come from
  20. craft — boats
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fall — the season
  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