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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bear — the animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pit — a hole
  8. content — the amount
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. cap — a lid
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. content — happy
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cap — a hat
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stand — for spectators

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