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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pop — music
  6. net — for catching
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pop — soda
  9. suit — in cards
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tube — the underground
  14. net — after costs
  15. pop — to visit
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. net — in sport
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tube — a container
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wind — moving air

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