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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 120 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: fall · stand · wind · scale · bank · craft · bowl · content

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fall — the season
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. scale — size or range
  8. content — the amount
  9. fall — to drop
  10. content — happy
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — to bear
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bowl — a dish

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