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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 116 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. content — happy
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fall — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. deal — to handle
  12. content — the amount
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. season — in sport
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. season — of the year
  19. perch — the fish
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fall — to drop

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