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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fall — to drop
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bear — the animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fall — the season
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wound — an injury
  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