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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. roll — a list
  4. lean — to bend
  5. present — a gift
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. present — there
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pass — a permit
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pitch — completely
  22. dip — to sink
  23. present — the time now
  24. pitch — a sports field

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