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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. season — of the year
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fine — all right
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cold — not warm

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