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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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. fall — to drop
  4. land — a country
  5. dip — to sink
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. charge — in control
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — steady
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — a company
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. firm — decided
  18. land — to come down
  19. shower — rain
  20. land — ground
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. charge — a price
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pass — to succeed

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