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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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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. firm — decided
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mark — a trace
  7. net — for catching
  8. firm — a company
  9. net — after costs
  10. row — a line
  11. net — in sport
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. firm — steady
  17. stand — to bear
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bass — low music
  24. stand — for spectators

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