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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. present — a gift
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. present — there
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. present — the time now
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ball — a great time
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. arm — part of the body

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