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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 116 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. object — an aim
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fall — to drop
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — a thing
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bank — for money
  18. press — to push
  19. fall — the season
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — to protest

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