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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: drill · cell · stock · bank · stand · mouse · pop · bass

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. bank — for money
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bank — for money
  11. stand — to bear
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — low music
  24. stand — for spectators

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