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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rule — government
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. band — a ring
  7. land — a country
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stand — to bear
  15. band — a music group
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rule — a law
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. land — ground
  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