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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fork — in a road
  4. object — a thing
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. season — of the year
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. object — an aim
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. fall — the season
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. object — to protest
  21. fall — to drop
  22. season — in sport
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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