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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.

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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. present — a gift
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. present — there
  21. cue — for pool
  22. present — the time now
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a hint

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