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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 120 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — a price
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. charge — in control
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. perch — the fish
  18. row — a line
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. perch — for a bird

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