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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: club · mouse · stand · firm · pitcher · bass · cap · mark

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bass — low music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. club — a group
  9. cap — a hat
  10. firm — decided
  11. mark — a trace
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. firm — steady
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. club — for golf
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. firm — a company
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cap — of ice

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