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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: bear · wind · stand · club · bass · present

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. present — a gift
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wind — moving air
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. present — there
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. present — the time now
  17. club — for golf
  18. stand — on your feet

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