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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. drill — the tool
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. drill — army training
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pop — music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. drill — a practice
  23. toast — bread
  24. nail — for a hammer

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