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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. object — a thing
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ball — a dance
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — to protest
  23. stand — to bear
  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