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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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 — a sudden rise
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mark — a trace
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bear — the animal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. temple — side of the head

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