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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. charge — electricity
  3. present — the time now
  4. fall — to drop
  5. perch — the fish
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — a price
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — boats
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. court — of a king
  16. present — a gift
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fall — the season
  19. court — of law
  20. present — there
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. court — for sport
  23. charge — in control
  24. craft — a handicraft

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