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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fall — the season
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. charge — in control
  5. mate — to breed
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bark — to shout
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wind — moving air
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bank — for money
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. wind — moving air
  17. charge — a price
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fall — to drop
  24. foot — a measure

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