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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 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stock — shares
  5. key — in music
  6. game — wild animals
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ground — crushed
  9. root — the cause
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ground — the earth
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ground — a position
  15. stock — goods
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. game — a match
  18. key — the most important part
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fall — the season
  21. root — of a plant
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. root — of a word
  24. game — a kind of play

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