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

Word bank: ball · cold · bear · tube · racket · bulb · suit · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. suit — clothes
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cold — not warm
  18. cold — an illness
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. tube — a container

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