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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bound — certain
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stand — to bear
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bound — tied together
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. sharp — clever
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stand — on your feet

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