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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. shower — to wash
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rule — government
  11. bank — of a river
  12. firm — steady
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bank — for money
  16. rule — a law
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pop — music
  20. bank — for money
  21. wind — moving air
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. shower — rain
  24. calf — a young animal

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