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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 116 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: bass · fan · rest · staff · march · deal · stand · ground

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. staff — employees
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. march — the month
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. staff — employees
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. ground — a position
  14. march — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bass — low music
  20. rest — a break
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. march — the month
  23. rest — what's left
  24. deal — to handle

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