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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bank — for money
  6. net — for catching
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. scale — size or range
  11. firm — a company
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — a cup
  14. net — after costs
  15. firm — steady
  16. net — in sport
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bank — for money
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. firm — decided
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hide — animal skin

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