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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: can · stand · rest · lie · last · bear · nail · bat

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. last — final
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bear — the animal
  10. last — to go on
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. can — a tin
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. can — to be able to
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. last — finally
  24. bat — the animal

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