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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mug — a face
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. charge — in control
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bank — of a river
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. court — for sport
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. bank — for money
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — to come from

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