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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rest — a break
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fall — to drop
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fall — the season
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rock — a stone
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. perch — for a bird

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