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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: bear · court · staff · stand · rush · dip · land · bass

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — low music
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. staff — employees
  11. land — ground
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. land — to come down
  14. bass — the fish
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. staff — employees
  21. land — a country
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stand — to bear
  24. staff — a stick

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