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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fall — to drop
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. staff — a stick
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stock — goods
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. stock — shares
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fall — the season
  19. deal — to handle
  20. staff — employees
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bass — the fish
  23. staff — employees
  24. bass — low music

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