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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 · rush · nail · season · firm · mouse · bear · drill

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. season — in sport
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. drill — the tool
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — steady
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. drill — army training
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. season — of the year

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