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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · wave · field · wound · calf · bass · stand · firm

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. firm — a company
  8. bass — low music
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. field — for sport
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. firm — steady
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bore — to tire
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wound — an injury

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