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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pop — soda
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pop — to visit
  11. board — to get on
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pop — music
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bank — of a river
  19. net — after costs
  20. board — a committee
  21. bank — for money
  22. fall — the season
  23. suit — to fit
  24. plane — a tool

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