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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 116 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. land — a country
  3. pop — to visit
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fork — in a road
  6. suit — to fit
  7. land — to come down
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bank — of a river
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. land — ground
  13. fall — the season
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bank — for money
  17. pop — soda
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — music
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — clothes

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