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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. prune — to trim
  3. race — the arms race
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — to fit
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. suit — in cards
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — clothes
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — a contest
  14. board — a committee
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — tied together
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bound — certain
  21. bear — the animal
  22. season — in sport
  23. tube — the underground
  24. board — a flat piece

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