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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 116 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: current · march · lean · wake · stand · bear · bore · season

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. season — of the year
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. current — electric
  7. march — the month
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. season — in sport
  10. current — happening now
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bore — to tire
  14. lean — thin
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. march — music
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. current — of water
  24. bore — to drill

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