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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mug — a face
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. kid — child
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stand — to bear
  19. kid — to tease
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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