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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — to fit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. can — a tin
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rest — what's left
  14. club — for golf
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. tear — to rip
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — in cards
  22. can — to be able to
  23. suit — clothes
  24. club — a group

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