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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bank — for money
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fall — the season
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bark — to shout
  22. last — to go on
  23. bank — for money
  24. cabinet — ministers

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