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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 116 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: ruler · lean · chip · fan · fall · rest · wind · suit

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lean — thin
  8. wind — moving air
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wind — moving air
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rest — a break
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. ruler — for measuring

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