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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. kid — child
  16. bank — for money
  17. kid — to tease
  18. sharp — exactly

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