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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 · rest · racket · mine · calf · pass · hide · band

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pass — a permit
  8. band — a music group
  9. rest — what's left
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mine — for digging
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rest — a break
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. band — a ring
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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