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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. suit — clothes
  9. charge — electricity
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. track — a path
  12. charge — in control
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fall — the season
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. saw — the tool
  18. tube — the underground
  19. track — a song
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. tube — a container
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — a price

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