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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: temple · stand · season · chair · deal · tube · bass · kid

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. season — in sport
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kid — child
  6. season — of the year
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bass — low music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. tube — the underground
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bass — the fish
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. chair — a leader
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. stand — to bear
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. tube — a container
  24. kid — to tease

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