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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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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: leaves · stand · nail · lie · hide · squash · staff · wake

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. squash — the sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wake — a trail
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. squash — to crush
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. staff — employees
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. staff — employees
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. staff — a stick
  24. lie — to recline

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