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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — a tool
  3. capital — money
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pit — in a race
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pit — a hole
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fall — the season
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — for betting
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. can — to be able to
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. capital — a city
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lie — to recline
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. can — a tin

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