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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. content — the amount
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lean — thin
  10. content — happy
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fall — the season
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lean — to bend
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fall — to drop
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. chair — to sit on

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