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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 116 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: club · pound · rock · bass · bay · stand · suit · tube

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — for golf
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. club — a group
  6. suit — clothes
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stand — to bear
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bass — low music
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rock — music
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pound — to hit hard

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