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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. firm — a company
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chest — a box
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bear — the animal

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