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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 120 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: stand · tear · bear · pit · snap · bowl · land · fine

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. land — ground
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. land — to come down
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fine — all right
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. snap — to click
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. land — a country
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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