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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stand — to bear
  11. board — a committee
  12. charge — a price
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mine — for digging
  20. board — to get on
  21. charge — in control
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fan — a supporter

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