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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fine — high quality
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. craft — boats
  10. present — there
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rule — government
  14. content — the amount
  15. rule — a law
  16. fine — all right
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. present — the time now
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. present — a gift
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. rule — to rule out

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