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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. chair — a leader
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. race — humankind
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bound — certain
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. bound — tied together
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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