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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — to get on
  5. land — ground
  6. firm — decided
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tear — from crying
  15. land — a country
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bore — to tire
  20. firm — steady
  21. land — to come down
  22. rest — a break
  23. board — a committee
  24. firm — a company

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