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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — to confront
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. land — ground
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — hasty
  13. face — part of the head
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. face — to point toward
  16. land — a country
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — to bear
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. land — to come down
  24. stand — for spectators

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