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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stand — to bear
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rash — hasty
  6. craft — boats
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mug — to rob
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. race — a contest
  16. rash — a series
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mug — a face
  19. craft — a skill
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. race — humankind
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. can — to be able to

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