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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. charge — a price
  8. last — final
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. last — to go on
  21. deal — to handle
  22. last — finally
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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