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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 124 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mate — a partner
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hand — help
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fall — the season
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mate — a friend

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