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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — to push
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — army training
  9. lean — thin
  10. bound — certain
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. lean — to bend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — obliged
  16. press — a publisher
  17. chair — a leader
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. press — newspapers
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. drill — 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