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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — to fit
  3. scale — size or range
  4. suit — in cards
  5. object — to protest
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mine — for digging
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fall — the season
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. scale — in music
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. object — a thing
  20. craft — boats
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — an aim

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