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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.

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: rash · stand · ground · rule · lean · bat · lie · present

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. present — there
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ground — the earth
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rash — a series
  10. ground — crushed
  11. present — the time now
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. present — a gift
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lean — thin
  23. ground — a position
  24. rule — a law

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