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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — a container
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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