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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. track — a path
  3. bulb — for light
  4. club — a group
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. club — for golf
  10. current — happening now
  11. club — for dancing
  12. craft — boats
  13. lean — thin
  14. object — a thing
  15. lean — to bend
  16. current — electric
  17. object — to protest
  18. track — a song
  19. fall — the season
  20. track — to keep track
  21. craft — a skill
  22. current — of water
  23. object — an aim
  24. bulb — for light

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