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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. key — the most important part
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wind — moving air
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. board — a committee
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — to get on
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fall — to drop
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. season — in sport
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — in music
  24. stand — to bear

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