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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bear — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. roll — a cake
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — a division
  18. roll — a list
  19. stand — to bear
  20. tube — a container
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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