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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. track — to keep track
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — size or range
  8. track — a song
  9. fall — the season
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. scale — in music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. board — a committee
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pass — a permit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. vault — a safe
  22. track — a path
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fall — to drop

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