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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 smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cue — a signal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. root — the cause
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. root — of a word
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cold — not warm
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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