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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 120 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. spell — letters
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. spell — magic
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. tear — to rip
  22. pitch — completely
  23. spell — a short time
  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