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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cold — not warm
  5. rest — a break
  6. board — to get on
  7. can — a tin
  8. cold — an illness
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lie — to recline
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a committee
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cue — a signal

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