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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bound — certain
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bound — obliged
  15. spell — magic
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. spell — letters
  19. can — a tin
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fall — the season
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fall — to drop

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