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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. game — wild animals
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bore — to tire
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. game — a match
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stand — to bear
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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