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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pit — a hole
  3. board — to get on
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. prune — to trim
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. current — happening now
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lie — to recline
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pit — in a race
  21. current — electric
  22. board — a committee
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lie — an untruth

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