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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 116 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stand — to bear
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spring — of water
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bear — the animal
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. spring — a coil
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. spring — the season
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rest — a break
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — what's left

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