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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · stand · last · mark · bass · leaves

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. last — to go on
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — a list
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stand — to bear
  18. last — final

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