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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spell — magic
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. cold — not warm
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cell — a phone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cell — in biology
  20. spell — letters
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mate — a friend

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