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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wind — moving air
  4. court — for sport
  5. object — to protest
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. court — of a king
  14. clip — a video
  15. wind — moving air
  16. clip — to cut
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. clip — for paper
  19. court — of law
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — a thing
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. object — an aim
  24. lie — to recline

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