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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bear — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — for a lock
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. tear — from crying
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stand — to bear
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. tear — from crying
  17. key — the most important part
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hand — help
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. key — in music

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