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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. content — the amount
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fall — the season
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. content — happy
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. plane — in geometry

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