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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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — a safe
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stock — goods
  6. fall — the season
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stock — shares
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stem — to come from

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