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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fall — the season
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. craft — boats
  5. suit — in cards
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. rest — what's left
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rest — a break
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. field — for sport
  24. stand — on your feet

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