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

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. band — a ring
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. last — finally
  11. net — in sport
  12. land — ground
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. land — to come down
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. last — final
  20. land — a country
  21. last — to go on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. stand — for spectators

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