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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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Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bear — the animal
  11. capital — a city
  12. fine — all right
  13. capital — money
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bear — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. capital — a big letter

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