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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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · lean · stand · scale · chest · stick · pitcher · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the fish
  4. chest — a box
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bass — low music
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. scale — in music

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