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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rest — a break
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chip — to eat
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bank — for money

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