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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: field · stand · bear · wind · pass · fine · calf · ball

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stand — to bear
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. field — for sport
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. field — farmland
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. field — a subject
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bear — to put up with

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