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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitch — completely
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fall — the season

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