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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fall — to drop
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rash — hasty
  6. game — a match
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wind — moving air
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rash — a series
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lean — thin
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rule — a law
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lean — to bend

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