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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bore — to tire
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. staff — a stick
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. shower — rain
  12. bore — to drill
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. shower — to wash
  17. staff — employees
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. season — in sport
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. season — of the year
  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