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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.

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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: hide · race · stand · racket · bear · rock

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rock — music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. race — humankind

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