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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wind — moving air
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cap — a lid
  14. firm — steady
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. rule — a law
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. firm — decided
  21. rule — government
  22. firm — a company
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wind — to turn a key

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