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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. face — to confront
  14. can — a tin
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mark — a trace
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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