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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fall — to drop
  4. craft — boats
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fall — the season
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bear — the animal
  24. present — a gift

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