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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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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: stand · bear · dip · band · wake · present · hide · firm

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. present — there
  7. band — a ring
  8. present — the time now
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. firm — steady
  12. stand — to bear
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bear — the animal
  16. band — a music group
  17. present — a gift
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. firm — a company
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. firm — decided
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bear — the animal

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