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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. suit — to fit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. last — final
  6. fall — the season
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spring — a coil
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. spring — the season
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spring — of water
  19. suit — in cards
  20. last — to go on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. last — finally
  24. mark — a trace

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