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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fall — to drop
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bank — of a river
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. charge — electricity
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fork — in a road
  20. season — of the year
  21. charge — a price
  22. fall — the season
  23. bank — for money
  24. season — in sport

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