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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. key — the most important part
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. track — a path
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. key — in music
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fall — to drop
  18. track — a song
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fall — the season
  22. track — to keep track
  23. vault — a safe
  24. key — for a lock

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