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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fall — to drop
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. content — happy
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. row — a line
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. pit — a hole
  14. content — the amount
  15. staff — employees
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pop — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. staff — employees
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mouse — the animal

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