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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · nail · stand · clip · wave · lie · chair · rule

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. clip — a video
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. clip — for paper
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rule — a law
  18. clip — to cut
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rule — government
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chair — a leader

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