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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bass — the fish
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wake — a trail
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — to protest
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. band — a ring
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. band — a music group
  21. bass — low music
  22. object — a thing
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. object — an aim

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