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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 120 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fall — the season
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. content — the amount
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. content — happy
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bear — the animal
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. staff — employees
  23. kick — in football
  24. vault — a safe

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