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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. land — to come down
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. toast — bread
  14. land — ground
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. land — a country
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fork — in a road
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. toast — the most admired

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