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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — steady
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. foot — a measure
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. file — a document
  16. present — the time now
  17. firm — a company
  18. present — there
  19. file — a line of people
  20. branch — a division
  21. firm — decided
  22. fall — to drop
  23. present — a gift
  24. fall — the season

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