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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. roll — a list
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fall — the season
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. fall — to drop
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. roll — a cake
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pass — a permit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rock — music
  24. pass — to spend time

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