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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rock — music
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rash — hasty
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fine — all right
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rash — a series
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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