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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · pit · straw · vault · ground · rush · bear · stand

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rush — hurry
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. suit — clothes
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — to fit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bear — the animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. ground — the earth
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bear — the animal

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