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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: bank · firm · kid · mark · land · rock · fall · cabinet

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. land — to come down
  9. fall — to drop
  10. land — ground
  11. kid — to tease
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. mark — a trace
  15. land — a country
  16. fall — the season
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — music
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — a company
  22. bank — of a river
  23. kid — child
  24. rock — to move gently

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