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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pit — in a race
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. object — to protest
  5. face — to confront
  6. object — a thing
  7. firm — decided
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. face — to point toward
  11. firm — steady
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bear — the animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. bear — the animal
  16. firm — a company
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. pit — a hole
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. patient — a sick person

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