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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bulb — for light
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. present — a gift
  14. fine — all right
  15. snap — to click
  16. branch — a division
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. present — the time now
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. present — there
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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