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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. march — music
  3. capital — money
  4. capital — a city
  5. fall — the season
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bank — of a river
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. march — the month
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. face — to confront
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lie — to recline
  21. march — the month
  22. fall — to drop
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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