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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: content · bass · stand · rock · fine · lean · fan · swing

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lean — thin
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. content — the amount
  5. bass — low music
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. swing — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rock — a stone
  11. swing — to play on
  12. content — happy
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bass — the fish
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rock — music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bass — the instrument

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