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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — a leader
  15. net — after costs
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stand — to bear
  18. season — of the year
  19. squash — to crush
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bank — of a river
  22. season — in sport
  23. bass — low music
  24. bank — for money

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