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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. clip — to cut
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lie — to recline
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. clip — a video
  10. press — a publisher
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pound — a weight
  14. clip — for paper
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. press — newspapers
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. press — to push
  24. stand — to bear

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