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

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. object — to protest
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. object — an aim
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stand — to bear
  16. object — a thing
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mug — a face

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