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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. can — a tin
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — a position
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ground — crushed
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fall — the season
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. snap — to click
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. can — a tin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. can — to be able to
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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