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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: bass · wax · suit · cue · wind · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bass — the fish
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bass — low music
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wax — to grow
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bass — the instrument

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