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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bank — of a river
  4. spring — the season
  5. fall — the season
  6. mug — a face
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bank — for money
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ground — a position
  17. ball — a great time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ground — crushed
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — a coil
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bank — for money

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