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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fall — the season
  3. wind — moving air
  4. chest — a box
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rule — a law
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. land — to come down
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rule — government
  13. mug — a cup
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. land — ground
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fall — to drop
  20. land — a country
  21. mug — a face
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mug — to rob

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