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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rule — government
  3. bear — the animal
  4. swing — music
  5. key — in music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stand — to bear
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — a law
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. board — a committee
  18. key — for a lock
  19. board — to get on
  20. wind — moving air
  21. swing — to play on
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bulb — for light

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