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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. tear — to rip
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. net — for catching
  7. mark — a grade
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. court — of a king
  11. lie — to recline
  12. net — after costs
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mark — a trace
  15. ground — crushed
  16. court — of law
  17. net — in sport
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. court — for sport
  20. ground — a position
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. tear — from crying
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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