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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. object — to protest
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. press — to push
  9. ground — the earth
  10. object — a thing
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ground — a position
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. object — an aim
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bear — the animal

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