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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mug — to rob
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stand — to bear
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. chest — of your body
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. chest — a box
  24. leaves — lets stay

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