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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. spell — letters
  4. file — a document
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. spell — magic
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — the season
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — completely
  24. file — 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