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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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. fall — the season
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mug — a face
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bank — for money
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — for money
  11. mug — to rob
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mark — a trace
  14. game — a match
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. fall — to drop
  20. game — wild animals
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. game — a kind of play
  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