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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 ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. land — a country
  9. last — finally
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rock — a stone
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. last — to go on
  15. squash — the sport
  16. land — to come down
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. last — final
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. land — ground
  21. rock — music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mine — for digging
  24. squash — to crush

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