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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 · safe · chair · mark · pit · bear · land · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. land — to come down
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pit — a hole
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. land — a country
  19. pit — in a race
  20. land — ground
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chair — a professorship

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