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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. suit — to fit
  10. press — to push
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — for light
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. kick — in football
  19. press — newspapers
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. suit — in cards
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. arm — a part of something

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