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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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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: rest · fall · pit · stick · rush · sharp · lie · wake

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wake — a trail
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rest — a break
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fall — the season

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