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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wound — an injury
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. club — a group
  5. sharp — clever
  6. drill — army training
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — to recline
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. drill — the tool
  23. wound — an injury
  24. club — for golf

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