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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. clip — for paper
  8. key — in music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. key — for a lock
  14. clip — a video
  15. key — the most important part
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fall — the season
  22. bank — for money
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. suit — in cards

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