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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fine — high quality
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rash — hasty
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fine — all right
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — a series

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