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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · stand · bank · patient · ball · mug · club · bass

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. content — happy
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. club — a group
  6. bank — for money
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mug — a cup
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bass — low music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — to rob
  18. content — the amount
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. club — for golf
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ball — a dance
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bank — for money

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