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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · bass · court · bat · stick · calf · stand · mine

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. court — of law
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — happening now
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bass — low music
  8. current — electric
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. court — of a king
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. court — for sport
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. current — of water

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