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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. charge — a price
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fall — to drop
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — electricity
  12. plane — a tool
  13. game — wild animals
  14. charge — in control
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. kick — in football
  17. object — a thing
  18. fall — the season
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. kick — with a leg

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