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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. kid — to tease
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cell — in biology
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wind — moving air
  15. fine — high quality
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — child
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cell — a phone
  21. fine — all right
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stand — to bear

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