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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — to fit
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pit — in a race
  9. tear — to rip
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — the amount
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tear — from crying
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pit — a hole
  24. tear — from crying

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