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

Word bank: fall · charge · pass · rock · wind · ruler · safe · nail

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rock — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fall — the season
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. charge — a price
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. charge — in control
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — on a finger

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