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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. last — to go on
  4. fall — the season
  5. object — an aim
  6. bank — for money
  7. object — a thing
  8. last — final
  9. bank — for money
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. object — to protest
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bank — of a river
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. last — finally
  24. leaves — lets stay

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