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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. prune — to trim
  6. land — ground
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. current — happening now
  11. land — a country
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. land — to come down
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. current — electric
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. current — of water
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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