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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
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: foot · bass · scale · wind · tube · rock · stand · pass

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wind — moving air
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. scale — in music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bass — low music
  17. wind — moving air
  18. scale — size or range
  19. tube — a container
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. foot — part of the body

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