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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — decided
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fall — the season
  8. bank — for money
  9. squash — the sport
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. club — for dancing
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bank — for money
  15. squash — to crush
  16. club — for golf
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. firm — a company
  19. club — a group
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fork — in a road
  23. perch — the fish
  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