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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: stand · mark · suit · chip · lie · ball · cold · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cold — not warm
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — to bear
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cold — an illness
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — for betting
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mark — a trace
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ball — a round shape

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