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

Word bank: bore · bear · stand · race · stick · snap · pit · content

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — in a race
  5. content — the amount
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. race — a contest
  11. snap — to click
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bear — the animal
  17. race — humankind
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. content — happy
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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