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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: rock · ruler · wind · chip · row · fall · object · can

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. can — a tin
  3. row — to paddle
  4. wind — moving air
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. object — an aim
  16. fall — the season
  17. object — a thing
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — music
  20. object — to protest
  21. chip — to eat
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. wind — to turn a key

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