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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — to fit
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bear — the animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. squash — to crush
  23. ball — a great time
  24. squash — the sport

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