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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — an aim
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mate — a partner
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mate — a friend
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. tube — a container
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stand — to bear
  23. object — a thing
  24. racket — for tennis

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