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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lie — to recline
  6. key — for a lock
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stem — to come from
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. band — a music group
  12. kid — to tease
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. kid — child
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. key — the most important part
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. band — a ring
  24. key — in music

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