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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fall — to drop
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. key — in music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — for a lock
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — a tool

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