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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: bear · bat · hand · rock · stand · bass · bay · board

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hand — help
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. bass — low music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rock — music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bat — the animal

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