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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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. object — a thing
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fall — to drop
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cap — of ice
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. object — an aim
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fall — the season
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — a lid
  21. drill — army training
  22. ball — a dance
  23. object — to protest
  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