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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: wound · bear · mug · season · march · chip · stand · fork

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. march — music
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. season — in sport
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bear — the animal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. march — the month
  17. mug — a face
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mug — a cup
  20. chip — for betting
  21. march — the month
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. wound — an injury
  24. season — of the year

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