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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mate — to breed
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tear — to rip
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wake — a trail
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tear — from crying
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mate — a friend
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mate — a partner
  14. tear — from crying
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fall — the season
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — in cards
  24. jam — in traffic

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