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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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. bear — the animal
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — to bear
  7. tube — a container
  8. saw — the tool
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — a subject
  17. rest — a break
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wave — of the sea

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