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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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Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cell — a phone
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mine — for digging
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stand — to bear
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cell — in biology
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. plane — a tool

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