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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. file — a tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. file — a document
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bound — tied together
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. chest — a box
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bound — certain
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pitch — completely
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bound — obliged

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