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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. deal — to handle
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — the underground
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. drill — a practice
  15. tube — a container
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bark — to shout
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — the bottom

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