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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pass — a permit
  17. shower — rain
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — to bear
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. perch — for a bird

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