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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. bear — to put up with
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fall — the season
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — a weight
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. fall — to drop
  12. march — the month
  13. bear — the animal
  14. club — a group
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. march — music
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. march — the month
  22. track — a song
  23. plane — a tool
  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