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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fall — to drop
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pit — in a race
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cold — an illness
  12. pit — a hole
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cold — not warm
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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