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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. scale — in music
  4. clip — to cut
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bear — the animal
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stand — to bear
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. clip — for paper
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wake — a trail
  21. scale — size or range
  22. clip — a video
  23. bear — the animal
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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