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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 116 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. perch — the fish
  4. object — a thing
  5. face — to confront
  6. chip — for betting
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. fall — the season
  10. object — to protest
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rule — government
  13. bank — for money
  14. fall — to drop
  15. face — to point toward
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rule — a law
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. face — part of the head
  20. chip — to eat
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. object — an aim
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. content — happy

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