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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pop — to visit
  4. spell — letters
  5. fall — the season
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pop — soda
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spell — magic
  13. track — to keep track
  14. vault — a safe
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. track — a path
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. charge — in control
  20. craft — boats
  21. track — a song
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pop — music

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