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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. fall — to drop
  3. current — electric
  4. fall — the season
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. current — happening now
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bank — for money
  10. fall — to drop
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — of water
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bat — the animal
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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