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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. vault — a safe
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. suit — clothes
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fall — the season
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — to fit
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. suit — in cards

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