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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: stand · snap · bass · court · straw · suit · temple · date

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. date — the fruit
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. suit — to fit
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. court — of a king
  14. snap — to click
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stand — to bear
  17. court — of law
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. suit — clothes
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. court — for sport
  23. bass — low music
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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