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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · wind · fall · bank · ruler · key

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bank — for money
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bank — for money
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fall — to drop
  18. key — in music

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