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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cue — a hint
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. file — a tool
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. file — a document
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cue — for pool
  24. file — a line of people

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