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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bank — for money
  6. pit — in a race
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. object — a thing
  11. rule — a law
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fall — the season
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — to protest
  18. rule — government
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mark — a trace
  22. row — a line
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fall — to drop

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