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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. cold — an illness
  3. fine — all right
  4. bear — the animal
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cold — not warm
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stand — to bear
  14. suit — clothes
  15. race — humankind
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. suit — in cards
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. face — to confront
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. race — a contest
  23. fine — high quality
  24. hand — help

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