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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. present — a gift
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. present — there
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bank — for money
  12. wound — an injury
  13. firm — a company
  14. present — the time now
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stand — to bear

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