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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cold — not warm
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. deal — to handle
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. tube — a container
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. stand — to bear
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bear — to put up with

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