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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stand — to bear
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cold — an illness
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cold — not warm
  24. craft — boats

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