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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fall — to drop
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fall — to drop
  7. object — an aim
  8. march — music
  9. object — a thing
  10. staff — employees
  11. march — the month
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. staff — employees
  14. vault — a safe
  15. march — the month
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. fall — the season
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. object — to protest
  24. mouse — the animal

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