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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · mouse · pit · stand · hide · sharp · bass · mine

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bass — low music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bass — the fish
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stand — to bear

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