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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. wake — a trail
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. deal — to handle
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ground — the earth
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bear — the animal

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