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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 116 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ground — a position
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. firm — steady
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. firm — a company
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. row — a line
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. stand — to bear
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bear — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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