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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. firm — a company
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ground — a position
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. firm — decided
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. firm — steady
  24. bear — the animal

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