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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. court — of law
  5. firm — a company
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — to drill
  10. firm — steady
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stand — to bear
  13. court — of a king
  14. pit — in a race
  15. court — for sport
  16. lean — to bend
  17. firm — decided
  18. lean — thin
  19. board — a committee
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stand — for spectators
  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