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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. tube — a container
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pass — a permit

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