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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hand — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hand — help
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bank — of a river
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. fall — the season
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. perch — the fish
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. calf — a young animal

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