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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lie — to recline
  5. land — to come down
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. present — the time now
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cue — a hint
  14. land — ground
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rest — what's left
  19. land — a country
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rest — a break
  22. bark — to shout
  23. present — a gift
  24. lie — an untruth

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