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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. track — a song
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stand — to bear
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. track — a path
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pitcher — a jug

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