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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. cap — a hat
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cap — a lid
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — of ice
  24. nail — on a finger

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