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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: bore · stand · scale · wake · firm · last · mate · bass

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. firm — steady
  5. bass — low music
  6. last — final
  7. scale — in music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bore — to drill
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bass — the fish
  14. firm — decided
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wake — a trail
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mate — to breed
  24. firm — a company

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