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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: fall · ruler · firm · hide · pit · can · tube · chest

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — steady
  4. can — to be able to
  5. tube — a container
  6. fall — to drop
  7. firm — a company
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. chest — a box
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. tube — the underground
  12. firm — decided
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. fall — the season
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. can — a tin
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fall — to drop
  20. chest — of your body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pit — in a race

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