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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cold — an illness
  4. fall — to drop
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. track — to keep track
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fall — the season
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. ground — a position
  18. track — a song
  19. ground — crushed
  20. track — a path
  21. mug — a face
  22. ground — the earth
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cabinet — ministers

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