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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: stand · rock · bass · chair · cue · court · date · mouse

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. court — for sport
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. cue — a signal
  8. court — of a king
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. court — of law
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rock — to move gently

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