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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fine — high quality
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. plane — a tool
  10. track — to keep track
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. track — a song
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. track — a path
  18. fine — all right
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. plane — in geometry

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