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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. file — a line of people
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. pop — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pitch — completely
  14. fine — all right
  15. firm — steady
  16. board — a committee
  17. file — a document
  18. bear — the animal
  19. file — a tool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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