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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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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: lie · mouse · bat · nail · chair · wave · suit · stand

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. lie — to recline
  13. suit — in cards
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stand — to bear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chair — to sit on

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