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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 124 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. firm — a company
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. firm — decided
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. firm — steady
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. swing — in golf
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. swing — music
  16. band — a music group
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mine — for digging
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lie — an untruth

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