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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. key — the most important part
  5. firm — steady
  6. key — in music
  7. firm — a company
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. can — a tin
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fall — the season
  13. vault — a safe
  14. degree — an amount
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. shower — to wash
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fall — to drop
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. degree — temperature
  23. can — to be able to
  24. firm — decided

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