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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pass — a permit
  10. clip — a video
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pit — in a race
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. last — finally
  19. last — to go on
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lash — an eyelash

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