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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. object — a thing
  3. fall — the season
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bank — for money
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. present — there
  11. object — an aim
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. present — the time now
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. present — a gift
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — to protest
  24. bank — for money

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