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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rash — a series
  11. clip — for paper
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rash — hasty
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rest — what's left
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — to bear

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