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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. wind — moving air
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fall — the season
  8. firm — a company
  9. drill — a practice
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — the tool
  15. snap — to click
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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