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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. race — a contest
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. race — humankind
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a dance
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — to cut
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bound — certain
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. race — the arms race
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ball — a great time
  23. clip — a video
  24. bound — obliged

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