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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. march — the month
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. court — of a king
  7. march — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. court — for sport
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. march — the month
  22. court — of law
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. swing — music

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