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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — a song
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stand — to bear
  6. chip — for betting
  7. toast — bread
  8. track — a path
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. prune — to trim
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. chip — to eat
  24. tube — a container

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