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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · lean · fine · fall · current · wake · mark · lie

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lean — thin
  3. fall — the season
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fine — high quality
  11. current — of water
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. fine — all right
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. current — happening now
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. current — electric
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ground — the earth

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