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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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Word bank
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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 · bay · dip · firm · hand · charge · toast · rash

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. hand — in cards
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rash — a series
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. charge — in control
  13. hand — help
  14. firm — a company
  15. fall — the season
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. toast — bread
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rash — hasty
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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