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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. race — a contest
  4. net — for catching
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fall — to drop
  7. snap — to click
  8. race — the arms race
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. net — in sport
  14. fall — the season
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. race — humankind
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wake — a trail
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. net — after costs
  24. suit — to fit

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