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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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. fall — to drop
  4. plane — a tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fall — the season
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. kick — in football
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. craft — a skill

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