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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. face — to point toward
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — to confront
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rest — a break
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. stand — on your feet

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