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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. file — a tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fall — to drop
  6. vault — a safe
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. ball — a great time
  9. object — to protest
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. file — a document
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fall — the season
  17. object — an aim
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. file — a line of people

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