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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. track — a path
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fall — the season
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — for money
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fine — all right
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — a song
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — high quality
  24. track — to keep track

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