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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. chest — of your body
  5. content — the amount
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. content — happy

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