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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fall — to drop
  4. face — part of the head
  5. club — a group
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. face — to point toward
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — of a word
  14. fall — the season
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cap — a hat
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. face — to confront
  24. club — for golf

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