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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. key — in music
  5. rule — government
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a document
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stock — goods
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. key — for a lock
  18. face — to confront
  19. bore — to drill
  20. file — a line of people
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rule — a law
  24. stock — shares

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