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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: bass · stock · deal · scale · lash · firm · pop · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pop — to visit
  3. firm — steady
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bass — the fish
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stand — to bear
  10. scale — size or range
  11. firm — a company
  12. scale — in music
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pop — music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. firm — decided
  20. pop — soda
  21. bass — low music
  22. stock — shares
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stock — goods

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