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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. craft — boats
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. charge — in control
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. charge — a price
  17. kick — in football
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — to recline
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. craft — a skill
  24. wind — moving air

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