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

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. 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. leaves — of a tree
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bank — for money
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. current — electric
  11. fall — the season
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bank — for money
  14. current — of water
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fall — to drop
  18. 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