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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. scale — size or range
  8. tube — a container
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. firm — decided
  11. bank — for money
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fall — the season
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pound — a weight
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. scale — in music

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