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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: trunk · pitch · season · bass · track · rock · stand · mouse

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. track — a song
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. season — of the year
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bass — low music
  23. season — in sport
  24. track — to keep track

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