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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rule — government
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. deal — to handle
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rule — a law
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. firm — decided
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. firm — a company
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. firm — steady
  23. fall — the season
  24. fan — a supporter

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