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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: stand · cabinet · chair · mouse · firm · content · bass · bulb

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bass — the fish
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. bulb — for light
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chair — a leader
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. chair — a professorship
  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