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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · fall · perch · staff · pass · foot · track · vault

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. staff — employees
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. track — a path
  6. fall — the season
  7. pass — a permit
  8. charge — a price
  9. track — to keep track
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. staff — employees
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — in control
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — a song
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. staff — a stick
  21. perch — the fish
  22. foot — a measure
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — part of the body

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