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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fall — the season
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — for money
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chip — to eat
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. firm — decided
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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