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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bear — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. file — a tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. present — a gift
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. present — there
  14. race — a contest
  15. lean — to bend
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fine — all right
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lean — thin

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