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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: bass · charge · rock · firm · arm · stock · stand · clip

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stock — goods
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. clip — to cut
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. clip — a video
  12. firm — steady
  13. bass — low music
  14. charge — a price
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — in control
  17. stock — shares
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. firm — a company
  22. clip — for paper
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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