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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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Word bank
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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: cell · bear · stand · toast · march · current · rush · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. current — happening now
  5. march — the month
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. current — electric
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. march — the month
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stand — to bear
  16. march — music
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — of water
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rush — hurry

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