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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. ground — a position
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. track — a path
  8. ground — the earth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. track — a song
  12. perch — the fish
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ground — crushed
  15. track — to keep track
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fall — the season
  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