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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. board — to get on
  8. rest — what's left
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. squash — the sport
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cold — not warm
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. cold — an illness

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