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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 ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — to bear
  4. last — final
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rock — a stone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. lie — to recline
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. saw — the tool
  17. court — of law
  18. last — finally
  19. last — to go on
  20. court — of a king
  21. squash — to crush
  22. court — for sport
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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