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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fall — the season
  5. lie — to recline
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pit — in a race
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chip — for betting
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bank — for money
  15. pit — a hole
  16. degree — temperature
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. content — the amount
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bank — of a river
  24. content — happy

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