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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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