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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. present — there
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. field — farmland
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. field — a subject
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. present — the time now
  16. field — for sport
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. present — a gift
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stand — on your feet
  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