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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. chair — a leader
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mark — a grade

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