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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. firm — decided
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — a law
  7. firm — steady
  8. rule — government
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — to crush
  11. staff — a stick
  12. fall — the season
  13. firm — a company
  14. squash — the sport
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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