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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 120 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: rush · present · squash · wave · stand · ground · bass · pit

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. rush — hurry
  3. present — a gift
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. present — the time now
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ground — the earth
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pit — in a race
  18. present — there
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. squash — to crush
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pit — a hole

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