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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stand — to bear
  11. content — happy
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. content — the amount
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — for spectators

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