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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. roll — a list
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. file — a tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. object — an aim
  16. file — a document
  17. roll — a cake
  18. object — to protest
  19. rule — government
  20. file — a line of people
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. object — a thing
  23. rule — a law
  24. stand — for spectators

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