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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fall — the season

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