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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. stock — shares
  3. plane — a tool
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bass — the fish
  13. chair — a leader
  14. band — a ring
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bass — low music
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stock — goods
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. band — a music group
  24. mark — to pay attention

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