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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · roll · fall · ball · ground · trunk · charge · stick

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ground — the earth
  8. charge — electricity
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ground — crushed
  13. roll — a list
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fall — the season
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. toast — bread
  20. ground — a position
  21. fall — to drop
  22. charge — a price
  23. roll — a cake
  24. charge — in control

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