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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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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 · bank · track · pass · bass · band · kid · rule

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bank — for money
  4. kid — child
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. band — a ring
  8. track — a path
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. track — a song
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. band — a music group
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bank — of a river
  22. kid — to tease
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pass — a permit

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