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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. firm — steady
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mug — a cup
  7. branch — a division
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bank — for money
  13. fall — the season
  14. bank — of a river
  15. firm — a company
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. firm — decided
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mug — a face
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mug — to rob
  24. branch — of a bank

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