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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · fine · hide · tear · mark · bear

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — all right
  4. tear — from crying
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fine — high quality
  18. board — to get on

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