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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. wake — a trail
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chest — a box
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bank — for money
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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