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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rash — a series
  4. face — to confront
  5. court — of law
  6. court — for sport
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ground — crushed
  10. craft — boats
  11. present — a gift
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. ground — the earth
  15. court — of a king
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. present — there
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. present — the time now
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lie — to recline

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