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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
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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: mouse · roll · wound · bank · chair · stand · pass · season

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — of the year
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. season — in sport
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. roll — a list
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pass — a permit
  24. chair — a leader

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