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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — the animal
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. rule — a law
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. game — a match
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. dip — to sink
  11. row — to paddle
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wake — a trail
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. game — wild animals
  23. row — a line
  24. dip — to dunk

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