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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: pass · degree · rush · bear · mark · field · stand · object

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. field — a subject
  4. object — a thing
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. degree — an amount
  7. field — farmland
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. object — to protest
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stand — to bear
  18. object — an aim
  19. field — for sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. degree — from a university

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