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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — magic
  4. stand — to bear
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. present — there
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. spell — a short time
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lie — to recline
  14. shower — rain
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — clothes
  18. present — the time now
  19. sharp — clever
  20. shower — to wash
  21. present — a gift
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spell — letters

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