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

Word bank: fall · lean · cabinet · spell · deal · pit · bear · cap

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lean — thin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spell — letters
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lean — to bend
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cabinet — ministers

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