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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. present — a gift
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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