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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. staff — employees
  3. fall — the season
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. key — in music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bear — the animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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