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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  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 — the season
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. chest — a box
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fall — to drop
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bank — of a river
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. drill — the tool
  23. chest — of your body
  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