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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 124 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. track — a song
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — electricity
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. track — a path
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fall — to drop
  20. track — to keep track
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fall — the season
  23. plane — a tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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