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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. root — of a plant
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fall — to drop
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fine — high quality
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. root — of a word
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. vault — a safe
  17. perch — the fish
  18. root — the cause
  19. fall — the season
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wave — with your hand

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