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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. object — a thing
  3. swing — to play on
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fall — to drop
  6. object — to protest
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. swing — in golf
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fine — all right
  14. fall — to drop
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bank — for money
  17. swing — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fall — the season
  21. object — an aim
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cap — a hat

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