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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.

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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — clothes
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. court — of law
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. face — to point toward
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chest — of your body
  14. content — happy
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chest — a box
  17. content — the amount
  18. face — to confront
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. court — of a king
  23. suit — to fit
  24. court — for sport

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