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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. present — the time now
  3. charge — in control
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — a price
  6. fall — to drop
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fine — all right
  10. land — to come down
  11. present — a gift
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. fine — high quality
  16. present — there
  17. object — a thing
  18. fall — the season
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. land — a country
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. bank — of a river
  24. land — ground

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