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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. cue — a hint
  6. charge — a price
  7. prune — to trim
  8. charge — electricity
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fall — the season
  14. charge — in control
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fork — in a road
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. deal — to handle

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