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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mug — a cup
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fall — the season
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mug — a face
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mug — to rob

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