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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. object — an aim
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. fall — the season
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fall — to drop
  20. saw — the tool
  21. object — a thing
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. object — to protest
  24. hide — animal skin

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