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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: pop · wound · firm · toast · season · bass · fall · stock

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. firm — a company
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. fall — the season
  5. season — in sport
  6. bass — low music
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. firm — steady
  9. stock — goods
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fall — to drop
  12. toast — bread
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pop — soda
  15. wound — an injury
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. season — of the year
  18. pop — music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wound — an injury
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stock — shares
  23. pop — to visit
  24. firm — decided

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