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

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fall — the season
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. season — in sport
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cold — an illness
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. land — to come down
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cold — not warm
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fall — to drop
  20. land — ground
  21. rush — hurry
  22. land — a country
  23. season — of the year
  24. stand — to bear

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