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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fall — the season
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mug — a face
  9. bore — to tire
  10. kick — in football
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. stand — to bear
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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