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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. net — for catching
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wind — moving air
  10. net — after costs
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fall — the season
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. toast — bread
  19. plane — a tool
  20. game — a match
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. net — in sport

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