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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. staff — employees
  4. shower — to wash
  5. stand — to bear
  6. tube — a container
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. shower — rain
  10. saw — the tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bear — the animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pop — soda
  16. bear — the animal
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pop — to visit
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pop — music
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. tube — the underground
  24. saw — the 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