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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. land — ground
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. board — to get on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lie — to recline
  12. kid — child
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — a committee
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. kid — to tease
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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