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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: rush · pass · stand · mate · calf · scale · wake · bore

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bore — to drill
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mate — a partner
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. scale — in music
  15. mate — to breed
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. stand — on your feet

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