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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. kid — to tease
  6. fall — the season
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rule — a law
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. kid — child
  19. wax — to grow
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rule — government

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