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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: can · lie · present · wind · fall · fork · firm · pit

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. can — a tin
  5. firm — decided
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wind — moving air
  17. present — there
  18. firm — steady
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. firm — a company
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fall — the season
  23. wind — moving air
  24. fork — a garden tool

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