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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. face — to confront
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. face — to point toward
  13. spell — magic
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rest — a break
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. face — part of the head
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rest — what's left
  22. spell — letters
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stand — to bear

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