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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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468
Word bank
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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wound — an injury
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. court — of a king
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. toast — bread
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wound — an injury
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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