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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 smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fork — in a road
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — hurry
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. saw — the 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