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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
468
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 · racket · stock · chest · nail · bass · firm · stand

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stock — goods
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. club — for golf
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chest — a box
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — low music
  12. club — a group
  13. firm — steady
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. firm — decided
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. chest — of your body
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. firm — a company
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stock — shares

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