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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: leaves · bass · hand · rock · rest · firm · stand · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. firm — steady
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. hand — help
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bass — the fish
  13. march — music
  14. firm — decided
  15. rock — a stone
  16. march — the month
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stand — to bear
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rock — music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. firm — a company
  24. bass — low 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