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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. fall — to drop
  3. root — of a word
  4. rest — a break
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cold — an illness
  10. root — the cause
  11. craft — boats
  12. fall — the season
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cold — not warm
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. craft — a skill
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fine — all right
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — high quality
  23. root — of a plant
  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