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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — to come down
  3. fall — the season
  4. vault — a safe
  5. dip — to sink
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lie — to recline
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. land — a country
  11. suit — in cards
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — to fit
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. degree — temperature
  17. degree — from a university
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. suit — clothes
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fall — to drop
  24. degree — an amount

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